Problem 3

Question 1

Introspection

Answer 1

Refers to looking into ones own mind + observing its contents

–> observing your conscious experience

AND: best method

Question 2

Name the things that Introspection is NOT.

Answer 2

Introspection is not

1. equivalent to having conscious experiences
   - -> attempts to describe it but most of it is fleeting + immediately forgotten
2. a sensory process (Homunculus fallacy)
   - -> no sensory modalities, but just verbal thinking
3. a brain scanner
   - -> conscious experience + neurophysiological observations are 2 different perspectives (objective vs subjective)
4. the making of inferences about our mental states based on our overt behavior
5. direct inner observation
   - -> this is impossible, just like you cant see your own eye

Question 3

Name the things that consciousness IS.

Answer 3

1. Active self-observation
   - -> reflective consciousness
2. Passive inner-observation
   - -> primary consciousness

Question 4

Name the types of Introspection.

Answer 4

1. Analytic
2. Descriptive/ Phenomenal
3. Interpretive

Question 5

Analytic Introspection

Answer 5

Describes experiences in term of elementary constituents

ex.: table= rectangle with edges, can result in stimulus error

Question 6

Descriptive introspection

Answer 6

Describing ones experience in terms of natural language

e.g.: asking oneself what one feels, thinks, perceive

Question 7

Interpretive Introspection

Answer 7

Asking oneself why on feels these things

e.g.: trying to identify antecedents of thoughts, feelings, actions

Question 8

Introspective verbal report

IVR

Answer 8

Refers to the verbal description of the conscious experience

–> no attempt to interpret or analyze + used in all research on consciousness

Question 9

Name the limitations to the IVR.

Answer 9

1. Forgetting
2. Reconstruction errors
3. Verbal Deskription difficulties
4. Distortion through observation
5. Censorship
6. Experimental demands
7. Lack of Independent verification
8. Subsitiutiaon of inferences for observations

Question 10

How is forgetting a limitation to the IVR ?

Answer 10

1. One can only report conscious contents when info is still available in STM
2. Verbal reports will be inaccurate when

a) info wasn’t transferred to LTM
b) info cannot be retrieved form LTM

Question 11

How are reconstruction errors a limitation the IVR ?

Answer 11

One may report more than actually recalls by filling in the blanks with plausible fabrications

–> report may be more orderly than was was recalled

Question 12

How are verbal description difficulties a limitation to IVR ?

Answer 12

Being unable to describe in own words

–> some words might have different meanings to different people

Question 13

How is distortion through observation a limitation to IVR ?

Answer 13

1. Heisenberg uncertainty principle
2. Introspective uncertainty principle

THUS: when trying to introspect while resolving a difficult problem one may try to store more details than usual, causing the thought process to go slower

Question 14

Heisenberg uncertainty principle

Answer 14

Occurs when the process of observation alters the object of observation

Question 15

Introspective uncertainty principle

Answer 15

Occurs when attempting to introspect, which in turn may change the contents that are being observed

Question 16

How is censorship a limitation to the IVR ?

Answer 16

Subjects may be reluctant to reveal embarrassing thoughts

–> may give false reports or claim they do not recall anything

Question 17

How are a lack of independent verification a limitation to the IVR ?

Answer 17

One is unable to check the accuracy of the report

–> major reason why it is rejected as a scientific method

Question 18

How is the substitution of inferences for observations a limitation to the IVR ?

Answer 18

When people do not have direct introspective access to the stimuli or mental processes that caused their feelings or behavior, they may make plausible inferences, using whatever information is available

e.g.: eating rapidly –> saying because hungry but actually just a habit

Question 19

How could one overcome the limitations of the IVR ?

Answer 19

1. Collecting data within few seconds of the experience
2. Training to use special vocabulary
3. Minimising distortion by asking for retrospective reports
4. Asking for the general nature of experiences not detail, so no censorship

Question 20

Name the methods for obtaining IVRs.

Answer 20

1. Thinking out loud
   - -> continuous verbal report while solving the task
2. Thought sampling
   - -> report, when a signal is given
3. Retrospective reports
4. Event recording
5. Diaries
6. Group questionnaires

Question 21

Advantages vs disadvantages of thinking out loud.

Answer 21

1. A lot of detailed info about a stream of consciousness, w/o forgetting
2. Introspection + report may alter thought process

Question 22

Advantages vs disadvantages of thought sampling.

Answer 22

1. Less distortion about the normal progression of thoughts, no forgetting
2. Not as much detail

Question 23

Advantages vs disadvantages of retrospective reports

Answer 23

1. Does not interfere with ongoing thought process
2. a) forgetting
   b) reconstruction errors
   c) substituting inferences from observation

Question 24

Advantages vs disadvantages of event recording

Answer 24

1. Trace changes in the frequency + little forgetting
2. Sometimes forget to report pertinent thought
   - -> decrease after adaptation period

Question 25

Advantages vs disadvantages of diaries

Answer 25

1. a) Useful info about someone over a long period of time b) Open-endedness allows researchers to see the range of possible conscious experiences 2. a) Very selective of what is reported b) unsystematic c) forgetting d) reconstruction errors e) uncontrolled conditions

Question 26

Advantages vs disadvantages of group questionnaires

Answer 26

1. Good for comparing groups of people in respect to frequencies 2. a) Forgetting b) closed questions, thus no chance for discovery

Question 27

How can one figure out the NCC of conscious visual awareness ?

Answer 27

By contrasting NC of stimulus processing WITH awareness with NC of stimulus procession WITHOUT awareness --> it should unambiguously dissociate awareness from unawareness in everyday visual experiences

Question 28

Visual backward masking | Strategy

Answer 28

Refers to a brief target stimulus, followed shortly thereafter by a mask

Question 29

Visual crowding | Strategy

Answer 29

A normally visible figure will be unrecognizable when surrounded by other nearby stimuli ex.: finding waldo

Question 30

Bistable perception | Strategy

Answer 30

Involve ambiguous figures --> fluctuations in perceptions despite unchanging visual stimulation ex.: vase vs faces

Question 31

Binocular rivalry | Strategy

Answer 31

Presenting dissimilar monocular patterns to corresponding areas of the 2 eyes --> this produces patent fluctuations in visual awareness

Question 32

Motion-induced blindness | Strateg

Answer 32

Refers to a small object embedded in a larger optic field --> object will disappear from awareness for several seconds at a time

Question 33

Inattentional + change blindness | Strategy

Answer 33

1. When engaged in a demanding task, observers may fail to detect a salient but unexpected stimulus 2. When viewing 2 successive pictures separated by a blank interval, observers may fail to notice a change in the picture

Question 34

Attentional blink | Strategy

Answer 34

When required for 2 or more visual targets within a rapidly presented sequence of items, observers are likely to miss the second target when it closely follows the first

Question 35

What is the difference between intro vs retrospection ?

Answer 35

Retrospection is reflective introspection --> introspection is retrospection, but retrospection does not necessarily have to be introspection

Question 36

Ordinary verbal responses

Answer 36

Refer to responses to the primary cognitive task of an experiment --> target of interest is how accurately subjects process info

Question 37

Why is the data obtained with IVR highly controversial ?

Answer 37

Because, they are 1. inaccurate + unreliable 2. sometimes thought to be unimportant

Question 38

Homunculus fallacy

Answer 38

Refers to the belief that there is a little person sitting inside our brain that observes our conscious experience + then reports it

Question 39

The data available for introspections are limited by 3 things. Name them.

Answer 39

1. Incomplete storage - -> experiences are selectively stored 2. Incomplete retrieval - -> not all info can be retrieved 3. Distortions - -> when trying to reconstruct the experiences